Fused switch



Aug 7, W280 mm mg J. SACHS.

FUSED SWITCH Original Filed Sept. '7, 1926 g y T E55 INVENTOR.

c/bse u/y 555%75 BY W A TTORNE Y.

Patented Aug. 7, 1928.

UNITED STATES 1,680,118 PATENT OFFlCE'.

JOSEPH SA CHS, OF WEST HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT.

FUSED swrron.

Application filed September 7, 1926, Serial No. 134,121. I tenewed June 23, 1928.

The object of the invention is to provide a fused switch of the type disclosed in my copending application Serial No. 401,474'for fused switch filed Aug. 5, 1920, but having the parts constructed and arranged for use with fuses of the cartridge enclosed type.

A further object of the invention is to provide a fused switch of the typereferred to wherein the wire receiving terminals are so disposed in relation to the other parts of the switch as to effect a considerable economy of space.

In the accompanying drawing I have shown one embodiment of the invention, but it will be understood that the drawing is intended for illustrative purposes only and is not to be construed as defining or limiting the scope of the invention, the claims forming a part of this specification being relied upon for that purpose.

()f the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a front view of a switch embodying the invention, a part of the front cover of the enclosing casing being broken away.

Fig. 2 is a side view of the switch proper, the enclosing casing and the operating spindle being shown in section along the line 2 2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken along the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken along the line 44 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged perspective view showing the connecting member which also forms one of the switch contacts.

Referring to the drawing, 1 represents a base of suitable insulating material, this base being adapted to be mounted upon a supporting wall in any suitable way. In accordance with the invention, I mount upon the base at least one fused switch device. As shown in the drawing this fused switch device may be duplicated, but inasmuch as both of the devices are, or may be, identical in construction, a detailed description of one of them will be sufficient.

Mounted upon the base 1 are two wire attaching terminals 2 and 3, these terminals being respectively adjacent opposite edges of the said base as for instance, the upper and lower edges. The said terminals are accessible from the front of the base and they are shown as being actually mounted upon the front of the base. Also mounted upon the base at the front thereof are two fuse contacts 4 and 5, one of which, as for instance 5, is directly connected with one of the wire terminals, as for instance 3. I have shown the contacts 4 and 5 as adapted for receiving a cartridge enclosed fuse F.

Connected with the other wire terminal 2 is a switch contact 6. The contact 6 is preferably fiat and it is shown as being integral with the terminal 2, the two parts being constructed of a flat metallic conductor which has one end portion bent outward at right angles to the base to form the said contact 6. 1

Carried by and directly connected with the base, preferably at the front thereof, is a connecting conducting member 7. This member at one end directly engages with the remaining fuse contact, that is, with the fuse contact 4, and the said member has a portion preferably bent from the mainportion thereof to extend outward substantially at right angles to the front face of the base so as to form a second switch contact 8 similar to and in alignment with the first said switch contact 6. A switch blade 9 is pivotally mounted at 10 on one of the said contacts, as for instance the said contact 8, and it is adapted when in closed position to engage the other contact, as for instance, the contact 6.

It will be observed that the two switch contacts and the said switch blade are laterally offset with respect to the fuse contacts and the fuse so that the said parts .form, in conjunction with the wire attaching terminals, two overlapping current paths in planes substantially perpendicular to the aforesaid opposite edges of the base.

The conductor member 7 serves as a transverse connection between the two said current paths so as to connect them in series with each other. The offset relation between the fuse parts and the switch parts The said two wire termlnals 2 and 3 are secured in place by means of screws 11 and 12 respectively, the screw 12 also serving to hold the fuse contact 5 as shown in Fig. 4. Preferably the said terminals are set mto \grooves formed in the front of the base, Zthesc grooves serving to provide increased protection for the terminals and also serving to prevent the terminals from turning about the respective holding screws. Preferably and as clearly indicated in Fig. 2, the base 1 is formed with a groove into which the conducting member 7 is set,'this groove serving to provide increased protection for the conductor. This enables me, if desired, to hold both-the conductor 7 and the fuse contact 4 in place by means of a single screw 13 which extends through an unthreaded hole 14 n the conductor 7 and into a threaded hole n the contact 4. The groove in the base prevents the conductor from turning about the screw. Thus, if desired, all of the parts on the base may beheld in place by three screws.

In order that the switch blade 9 may effectively engage the two fiat switch contacts 6 and 8, I preferably construct the said blade of two separate metallic strips 15, 15 WhlCh have their end portions spaced apart so as to engage the outer sides of the respective contacts. The said strips preferably contact "with each other at their central portions, the spacing apart of the said end portions being obtained by ofi'setting the end portions of one or both of the said strips. As the result of the offsetting a depression is formed in one or both of the said strips between the said offset end portions. The end portions of the strips engaging the rupture contact 6 are free from direct connection .with each other, the said end portions being thus free to relatively adjust themselves so as to firmly engage the contact. For operating the switch member'there is provided an operatin member 16 which preferably comprises a ody of insulating material secured to the switch blade at the central portion thereof. Preferably this operating member is located in the said depression at one side of the blade. A rivet 17 is provided which serves to hold the two parts of the blade together and which also serves to secure the operating member 16 in place;

When the fuse contacts are arranged for receiving a cartridge enclosed fuse as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 the arrangement is such that the central plane of the switch contacts and of the switch blade is parallel to, but later- =ally offset from the axis of the fuse F.

The switch blade and the fuse overlap each other through a considerable distance and the connecting member 7 extends transversely and diagonally between the ends of the overlapping portions, that is from the fuse contact 4 to the switch contact 8. In thiscase the switch contact -8 is bent into a plane which is not only at right angles to the front of the base but which is at an acute angle to the center line of the said member 7.

As alread stated I preferably prov1de a plurality o fused switch mechanisms in direct association with each other and they may be mounted upon a single base 1 as illustrated, although I do not so limit myself. The second fused switch mechanism is or may be identical in COHStl'UCtlQIl XVItlI the first and repetition of the dcscriptron 1S unnecessary. I I

A fused switch embodying the invention 1s particularly adapted to be used with an' enclosing casing, and such a casing 18 is shown in the drawing. This casing is shown as being rectangular in form having a back wall to which the base 1 is directly secured by .screws 19, 19. The casing 18 is provided with a cover 20 preferably hinged to the bottom wall and preferably adapted to be suitably sealed in closed position if desired.

When a casing suchas 18 is provided the side walls of the casing preferably serve as a means for support ng an operating spindle 21 for moving the switch blades 9. As shown, the spindle 21 has pivot sections 22 and 23 in alignment with the pivotal axes 10 of the switch blades. These pivot sections are mounted in suitable bearing apertures in the side walls of the casing. The spindle 21 .isformed with a manually operable handle 21 located outside of the casing. Inside of the casing the spindle is provided with a crank section 25 suitably connected with the switch operating members 16, each of which is provided with a slot 26 for receiving the said crank section It will be obvious that by turning the handle 2-1 the switch blades may be moved so as to be disengaged from and reengaged with the switch contacts 6. i

I am enabled to conserve space, not only by the described arrangement and construction of the switch and fuse parts but also, by the construction and arrangement of the terminals 2 and 3, as shown in detail in Figs. 1, 3 and 4. It will be noted that the terminal 2 is positioned on the base at the left of the contact 6, that is, at the same side thereof as the axis of the fuse F and substantially in longitudinal alignment with the said fuse. The wire terminal 3 is located on the base at the right of the fuse contact 5, that is, at the same side thereof as the plane of the switch blade 11 and substantially in longitudinal alignment with the said switch blade. Thus these wire receiving terminals do not add to the length or to the width of the device. It is obvious that if they were above and below their respective contacts, the total length of the device would be increased and a longer casing would be re uired. It is similarly obvious that if their transverse positions were the reverse of those shown the total width of each device Would be inill] lllt) lln creased with the result that the enclosing casing would have to be correspondingly wider; The necessary increased width of the casing would be still greater when there are two associated fused switch devices as shown.

What I claim is:

1. A fused switch comprising in combination, a base of insulatin material, two separate wire attaching terminals respectively adjacent opposite edges of the base and accessible from the front thereof, a pair of fuse contacts spaced apartflon the front face of the base and adapted to receive a cartridge enclosed fuse, the first of the said contacts being directly connected with one wire terminal, an outstanding switch contact at the front of the base adjacent and directly connected with the other wire terminal, a movable switch blade at the front of the base engaging the said switch contact when in closed position, the said fuse contacts and the said switch contact and blade being laterally offset from each other so as to form in conjunction with a fuse two parallel overa lapping current paths, and a fiat conducting member directly carried by the base and extending diagonally between the ends of the overlapping portions of the said current paths to connect them in series, the said member at one end directly engaging the second fuse contact and at the other end havin an integral portion extending outward at rightv angles to thefront 'face of the base so as to form a second switch contactwhich is also engaged by the switch blade when in closed position.

2. A fused switch comprising in combination, a base of insulating material, a pair of fuse contacts spaced apart on the front .of the base and adapted to receive a cartridge enclosed fuse, the first of the said contacts being adjacent one edge of thebase, an outward extending switch contact. adjacent the opposite edge of the base, a movable switch blade engaging the said switch contact when in closed position, the said fuse contacts and the said switch contact and blade being located at the front of the base and transversely offset from each other so as to form in conjunction with a fuse two overlapping current? paths in lanes substantially perpendicular to the a oresaid edges of the base,

- a flat conducting member directly carried by the base and extending transversely of the said current paths to connect them in series, the said member at one end directly engaging the'second fuse contact and at the other end having an integral portion extending outward at right angles to the'front face of the base so as to form a second switch contact which is also engaged by the switch 'blade when in closed position, and two wire agonally thereacross and having an integral portion thereof at one end :extending outward at right angles to the front face of the base and at an acute angle to the center line of the said conducting member so as to form a, switch contact, two fuse contacts spaced apart on the front of the base and adapted to receive a cartridge enclosed fuse, one of the said contacts directly engaging the said conducting member at the end thereof opposite the switch contact and both the said fuse contacts being positioned so as to hold the fuse with its axis at an acute angle to the center line of the said conducting memher and parallel with the said switch contact, a screw extending through the base and engaging both the said conducting member and the said corresponding fuse contact to hold them in place, the said member being seated in a oove in the front of the base so that rotation thereof about the said screw is prevented, a second switch contact on the base in ali ent with the first said switch contact an s0 located that a line connecting the switch contacts is parallel with the fuse axis and at the opposite side of thediagonal. conducting member, and a movable switch blade pivoted to one of the switch contacts and adapted to engage the other switch contact.

JOSEPH SACHS. 

